Wanna Know How a Relief Well Works?

BP's Back Up Plan

Article in the Times Picayune today about the relief wells being drilled…decent description of the pitfalls, concerns and hopes regarding what has ultimately been considered the fail-safe to the whole BP Gulf Oil Catastraphuk…

Favorite two quotes in the article –

1. “We can’t guarantee anything, but i think the technology is there,” said Kent Wells, A BP vice president. “We’ve got the best experienced people around and we’ve set up to be successful here.”

I really don’t mean to be a pessimist, really, but so far all the experts you’ve had on hand have been able to accomplish… well, nothing. You really don’t inspire me with a whole lotta confidence.

2. Regarding a back up plan – Thad Allen said, “That’s still being developed conceptually. They have not come back to us with any firm proposal yet. All we know is they are scoping it out.”

Brilliant, Thad…brilliant – okay, you’re in day 76 of this and they have been drilling these relief wells for close to two months – and when you get asked about a back-up plan, well – that statement shows me a couple of things: they aren’t keeping you very well-informed and, there is no back-up plan. I imagine if there were, you might know about it since you are the one who is in charge (snort, guffaw) down there. Perhaps you might not wait for them to come to you…you might wanna go in there and demand to know…ya know, politely of course. Put your hat in your hand, oh, and perhaps don’t make eye contact. Then maybe they might respond to your questions about what exactly it is they are “scoping…out”